The silver lining to this particular cloud is that dams serving the Mother City had a less-than-average weekly loss of water, at 0.91%. However, it was normal service resumed at a provincial level, as the WC reserves have been depleted by 1.31% over the past seven days.

It marks a return to reality for both sets of facilities, after last week saw an unexpected buck to recent trends. Heavy rains and wet weather had got dams all across the Cape threatening to record an increase. However, after a bone-dry week, the reservoirs haven’t been able to build any sort of momentum going forward.

Western Cape and Cape Town dams: Water levels for Monday 25 March

Cape Town dams and Western Cape water levels for 25 / 03 / 2019 – Photo: Western Cape Government

Theewaterskloof dam – 39.5% (10.3% full in March 2018).

Voëlvlei dam – 62% (14.4% full in March 2018).

Bergriver Dam – 71.8% (44.9% full in March 2018).

Clanwilliam Dam – 25.4% (6.1% full in March 2018).

Local government hits out at national colleagues

Anton Bredell is the minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape. He vented his fury towards the National Department of Water of Sanitation, who he has accused of failing to fund desperately-needed water conservation projects in the drought-stricken province:

“We have noted that many of the Regional Bulk Water Infrastructure Grant allocations made to our municipalities by the National Department and published in the Division of Revenue Act have been stopped because there is no money in the Department.”

“The National Department had gazetted to transfer R22 million to co-fund the Cederberg desalination project. Two weeks ago, the municipality was informed that the funding will not flow in the current financial year. In the meantime, the municipality has already appointed the contractor and the work must go on.”